Asiair plus wifi not as advertised.

[Olsin]

My first night with the asiair plus was disappointing and uninspiring. It worked just fine while i was standing in my observatory but as soon as i went indoors the wifi continually dropped out. I had beforehand read up on all i could find regarding the AA+ and was worried that i'd also experience connection problems. Not because my observatory is very distant but because i live in an old house with thick walls. The actual distance would be around the 10-12 meter mark.

The most stabile signal i could obtain was by opening my living room window and standing the tablet on the window ledge although it was basically still unworkable and certainly not what i was hoping.

I had of course already ensured my local wifi wouldn't try and connect to the AA app running tablet, likewise i tried both 2,4 and 5ghz networks. Sometimes the wifi would fall out but connect again almost immediately, other times it'd fall out and i'd have to go into the tablet network settings and atempt to reconnect there.

I don't like having to throw more money at a bit of kit to get it working the way it's advertised as working but nor do i like having to sell it at a loss. Especially since i would really like to be able to use it. Just the whole point and click, go there, check you're there and center the target routine was a joy to use.

Would an extender work for the AA+ or are there any other workable solutions..?

[bosun21]

Why not put the Asiair plus in station mode and use your home WiFi?

[powerlord]

yes, I use a 12v wifi ap with my asiair pro when out and about in the motorhome. just plug it into the ethernet of asiair, and it broadcastsa nice strong signal. Just look for any APs that take 12v and it's easy then to power them with the asiair. I use a vonets VAP11g-300.

If at home of course you can just run it in extender mode and have it extend your existing home AP - with the better reception it might connect ok to it.

I suppose the question is - do you get a strong signal from your tablet in the observatory of your home wifi ? If not, then unless thats miles away from where you window ledge is then it's to be expected that asiair won't do any better - and in reality will be far worse. I know they made a big thing of it being the 'plus' and having an antenna, but it's still not going to have the range of a decent home router.

You do want to be using 2.4ghz for long distances. forget 5ghz.

Another way of doing it though is to put a plug in extender nearer the observatory (say, near your window ledge). then set the asiair to connect to it. That way it has the best chance of getting a solid connection to your home network, which gives it internet access as well as making it easier to use via a tablet without having to swap about wifi APs.

Edited March 27, 2023 by powerlord

[fwm891]

I’ve just got an ASiair plus and to try it out I used a 12 VDC battery I had. At first fine but as soon as the voltage began to dropout went the connection and then the hassle or reconnect, reconnect. Plugged in a mains adapter and problem gone. It’s definitely voltage sensitive. Which is a shame because I got it to use as part of a remote (away from home) grab n go kit…

[powerlord]

that's a good point - I've found on low voltage the asiair will stay up, but the network won't (ethernet or wifi connected).

You are fine with a battery if fully charged (13.5v), but if the voltage drops below 12v it starts to get dodgy. At about 11.5v it starts dropping out and doing weird stuff.

If going down a battery route ,something around 15-16v is better, as it will continue running it till more or less flat. e.g, 4s lipo.

[Elp]

My mini solved the issue I was having over a similar distance, and it's also a fast transfer rate as if I'm next to the rig. My pro with a quad antenna extender although transmits the same distance, is patchy and no where near as fast (Kb Vs Mb). If you do have thick walls that will be an issue, as will network traffic but I doubt you have many devices running in your area for that to be an issue. Either run a physical cable via the ethernet port if it's practical to do so, or connect it's WiFi to a nearby mains powered router/extender which then connects to your controlling device.

[Lumos]

All wifi equipment tends to give the maximum range and that tends to be outside with line of sight and no obstructions. For indoors they are referring to US style houses and not my 30cm UK brick walls or my 80cm stone walls in France. Stone just attenuates WiFi. In France with a thick solid interior walls I have WiFi transceivers in every room, it is just physics. 
 

the ASIAir of course will continue to capture data all night even when you are unable to connect. If you want to check progress open your window. Do you really not have internet in your observatory? If you do then an Ethernet cable to your ASIair Plus will make you much happier. Then you could access it from inside on your home WiFi. 

[powerlord]

Yup with a full time obsy, it's really worth the effort laying an ethernet cable. With an edging spade, you can part grass and bury 4" or so, and easily do the run in 20 mins. Once done, no more WiFi problems ever.

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, powerlord said:

that's a good point - I've found on low voltage the asiair will stay up, but the network won't (ethernet or wifi connected).

You are fine with a battery if fully charged (13.5v), but if the voltage drops below 12v it starts to get dodgy. At about 11.5v it starts dropping out and doing weird stuff.

If going down a battery route ,something around 15-16v is better, as it will continue running it till more or less flat. e.g, 4s lipo.

Sounds like there needs to be a buck-boost constant output voltage regulator between the battery and the device.

[Olsin]

2 hours ago, bosun21 said:

Why not put the Asiair plus in station mode and use your home WiFi?

I tried that last night but it wouldn't connect. In retrospect that was probably because i was out in the observatory. Tried it just now while i was standing in the same room as our router and bang...connected straight away and here 25 minutes later it hasn't fallen out at all. I'm calling it fixed thank you....

[Elp]

Also depends on the total power draw on the asiair. I used to have the white version of the vonets extender, it was next to useless at range, so I upgraded to their 4 antenna industrial version which was slightly better. But when I tried powering it via the air with my cameras also plugged in I noticed the extender kept resetting, there wasn't enough power spare to power it so I had to power the extender with its own usb power bank. It's transmission propagation and data transfer rate still doesn't compare to the mini with its built in antenna. But even then the signal is no match for a brick, so you have to be mindful of its limits.

[bosun21]

1 hour ago, Elp said:

Also depends on the total power draw on the asiair. I used to have the white version of the vonets extender, it was next to useless at range, so I upgraded to their 4 antenna industrial version which was slightly better. But when I tried powering it via the air with my cameras also plugged in I noticed the extender kept resetting, there wasn't enough power spare to power it so I had to power the extender with its own usb power bank. It's transmission propagation and data transfer rate still doesn't compare to the mini with its built in antenna. But even then the signal is no match for a brick, so you have to be mindful of its limits.

He doesn’t need an extender if using his home WiFi in his observatory. If it’s patchy then an Ethernet cable will solve the problem.

Edited March 27, 2023 by bosun21
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